Unchanging
by Rietto
Summary: Somehow, Izaya found himself stranded in the world of 2021. In future where his self doesn't exist, somehow Ikebukuro remains pretty much the same with its people's unfinished love stories.
1. Chapter 1

_**In which Orihara Izaya fell from the rooftop.**_

* * *

><p><em>(No one is in the chatroom)<em>

_(Mai has joined the chatroom)_

_(Kyo has joined the chatroom)_

**Kyo** : Too bad, no one's here even though I wish to have nice conversation with everyone. I guess their busyness can't be helped. Perhaps they're catching up to the magazines I and Mai promoted yesterday? Alas, if that's the reason I'm so happy I will find more porn to promote.

**Mai** : Good books.

**Kyo** : So then, since no one is here at the moment, I guess I'll just use the free time I and Mai happen to have to watch our idol's old movie. The naked scene is glorious. I can't help but to watch it at least once a week!

_(Pure Water 100% has joined the chat room)_

[PM mode **Pure Water 100%** : Kururi-chan, where are you now?]

**Mai** : Welcome

[PM mode **Kyo** : At home with Mairu as usual. We're watching glorious scenes from Yuuhei-san's movie as we speak. It's awesome. You can join us admiring his perfect body and face if you want.]

**Mai** : Ignored?

[PM Mode **Pure Water 100% **: I see. Then don't go out for now. I'll send someone to guard you. He should be there in about an hour. Just tell me if there's anyone suspicious okay?]

[PM Mode **Mai** : Confused]

[PM Mode **Kyo** : What's a guard for? What happened?]

_(Pure Water 100% has left the chatroom)_

**Kyo** : How bizarre. Is he possibly trolling me? To enter just to practically say 'Don't go out or you might die' is pretty scary. My heart is going doki doki just imagining what could happen. This situation is similar to the scene we're watching right now!

**Mai** : Scary coincidence.

**Kyo** : Better focus on the movie. It could be that the movie is actually message sent by the awesome Hanejima Yuuhei to warn us about this very day! How amazing! It's similar to bible, but with better understanding and more tension! That being said, good night!

**Mai** : Bye bye bee.

_(Kyo has left the chatroom)_

_(Mai has left the chatroom)_

_(No one is in the chatroom)_

* * *

><p><strong>One hour before...<strong>

Everything could happen in Ikebukuro.

To Izaya, Ikebukuro was like his heaven.

Gangs…

Yakuza…

Monsters…

Humans…

All sorts of people live in Ikebukuro, making connection to each other with their masks on. As each connection became even stronger, so did the fragility. Izaya had found pleasure in forming and breaking those threads called connection, and he wasn't sure he could stop liking them like his other hobbies.

"So fun! This is so fun!"

He laughed as the idea dawned into him.

Ikebukuro was his town.

It was his playground.

When he's gone, it'd stop being a fun town and would become as boring as Shinjuku.

Izaya laughed. He loved Ikebukuro, perhaps his love to the city rivaled his love to human beings. He loved it so much he couldn't help to return even if it'd kill him. Even so, there's no way he'd let a protozoan idiot kill him.

Even so, he's admittedly quite bored.

Lately, everything had gone as expected, and Izaya had been in quite bad mood because of it. That's why he's in the rooftop in the first place. He wished to stand above the crowd and see them move, to try to find something fun to observe.

He stood at the edge, his hands behind his back as he leant forward. The sight of some gang members acting silly managed to brighten his mood a bit.

Even so, the next thing he knew he was in midair, and the sight of those gang members had been replaced with the color of concrete.

'_Eh?'_

Seconds felt like hours then.

Izaya had estimated that falling from the top of the building to the ground would not be longer than five seconds, but that time he felt as if he's been midair for far longer than five seconds.

He forced his body to face upwards, and in the spot where he sat before there was a young girl. She was holding into the fence, and her cold eyes locked into Izaya.

"Die," she mouthed before a sickening smile formed in her pretty face.

It was a complicated feeling.

The girl's smile wavered when she saw Izaya grinned as he fell. She didn't know that Izaya felt happy with her pushing him from the edge of said rooftop. He had expected people to hate him enough to kill him, but so far the only one who dared to attack him was only Shizuo, whom he hated the most.

The girl had her hair tied up in ponytail, her eyes covered by glasses and she was clad in boyish outfit. She was perhaps one of the suicidal girls Izaya had helped in the past, but she's too unimportant to remember.

Humanity hadn't betrayed him. It still managed to surprise him. It just teased him by waiting until he's dead bored first. The idea was strange, but for Izaya it was the only thing he could think of.

And so, despite his unwillingness to die, Izaya felt happy.

'One day, I'll definitely get my revenge,' was Izaya's last thought before claimed by darkness.

* * *

><p>Now we're back to the present.<p>

In a van, the quartet better known as 'Kadota Gang' for lack of better name was as noisy as ever. In the back seat, Karisawa Erika and Yumasaki Walker were discussing the beauty of 2D world as usual, and the other two normal men sitting in the front tried their best to ignore the otaku duo.

"Amazing! As expected of Yu Wo, the story is as hilarious as ever! I'm now officially Leith X Creus shipper! Who do you think tops, Yumachi?"

"No, no. I still think Japanese writers are the best. Nothing can beat Haruhi-sama! And, Karisawa-san, don't you like it just because it's filled with BL flag?"

"Not really, the story's great too! Yumachi likes loli and bishoujo, right? How about ½ Prince? It's filled with pretty girls, you know? Though my favorite there is still Gui x Wicked! Oh, Kenshin x Artic Fox is not bad too."

"Karisawa-san, the best loli filled story is without a doubt, Higurashi! That plus blood, what's not to love? Umineko is for bishoujo! Long live Ryukishi~"

"Oh, Umineko's not bad. AmaBato and RonoBato are very nice!"

The two in the front seat sighed. At least Erika didn't talk about real life pairing she made in her head.

All in all, it was an ordinary day for the gang.

It was of course, until their cell phones rang at the same time, suggesting that Dollars' admin had just issued an order. It was quite rare for the admin to issue an order, usually only before major gang war about to take place. Erika and Walker got quiet in an instant realizing that.

Everyone then read their messages, save for Togusa who was finding a parking spot.

"No way…"

"This is impossible!"

"… Is he serious?"

The three said at the same time. Erika's eyes widened, her hand frozen as the news dawned upon her. Meanwhile, the two men searched the site for reason why the admin sent that message.

"What is it?" realizing the change of mood to the worse, Togusa asked.

"Don't park. We need to find someone."

"Is that the order? Who is it?"

"Ah, I got it, Kadota-san! It's here! Anon posted, 'I just pushed that person from seventh floor of that famous suicide building. I hope he's dead. I didn't check though, but maybe I should?'. Oh my, this is quite bad!"

Hearing that, Togusa stopped looking for parking spot and instead hit the gas to circle Ikebukuro. He cursed the fact that there were lots of high building which has more than seven floors and used for suicide in Ikebukuro alone, and the poster didn't seem to provide with more information as to where he murdered that poor person.

But more importantly, their reactions were like the victim was someone they knew. Togusa didn't dare to ask though and chose to concentrate in driving.

The sound of horse could be heard, and Togusa swore he could see yellow helmet in the dark albeit only for a millisecond. Apparently the Black Rider was also looking for that person.

"Dotachin…"

"Calm down. He might still be alive."

"… Is this the end of Shizaya?"

Strange question aside, the realization as to who the victim was made Togusa nearly hit the car in front of them. Horns were blown then, but Togusa just clicked his tongue and drive faster.

There was no way Shizuo could die from falling. He had survived getting hit by a truck, after all. And so, only one possibility remained.

The idea though, was too strange. That person was usually calculative. He could predict almost everything with high accuracy. The idea of that person beaten by someone unknown was baffling. Togusa took out his cell phone despite the speed he's driving in and read the unopened mail.

'_Please look for Orihara Izaya, focus on suicide spot in Ikebukuro and Shinjuku. He's most likely in near-death state. Can usually be seen wearing fur coat.'_

* * *

><p>When she got the mail from Mikado, Celty was having fun dinner time with Shinra. She tried cooking again, trying her best to follow the recipe down to the last comma, and just like before Shinra cried.<p>

Though he claimed it's because her food was so delicious he had thought for a second that he's in heaven, but Celty couldn't trust him on that. And so, the headless woman had determined to cook more, to try to get even better.

Until one day, Shinra would eat her cooking with a smile.

Even so, at that time Shinra didn't say anything about 'The uniqueness of your cooking makes it better!' so Celty figured at least the taste wasn't that bad. Perhaps he really was telling the truth.

Celty looked contently at Shinra's seemingly happy face, ignoring the sound of her beeping PDA.

"Aren't you gonna answer that?"

Celty waved her hand. Looking at that Shinra sighed.

"You know, Celty, I'm really glad you care more about me more than about your job, but it could be something really important."

"Nothing is more important than me? Oh Celty, my love! I think I'm going to cry once more… Oh no! Not because of your cooking. Don't worry. Rather, next time make lot more! This is good! Eh? What do you mean I'm lying? You're a Godsend! Of course everything about you would be divine!"

"Ouch, Celty… It hurts… Well, since to me your punches are as lovely as kisses, I guess I can let it slide. Ouch! Ouch, Celty! My appendix!"

"But still, Celty… What if it's about your friends? If it's about Anri-chan? Or perhaps Mikado-kun?"

Hearing Shinra's solid logic, Celty wavered. A poof of black smoke came out from her neck, a sigh in Shinra's eyes, and she took out her PDA. Shinra smiled in approval and continue eating as he waited for her to tell him what's up.

But Celty stopped moving for ten whole second before her fingers danced on the keyboard as she searched the Dollars' forum for more details.

Shinra eyed her curiously, sensing something was not right.

"What's wrong, Celty? Don't tell me I was right?"

[In a way… But it's not Mikado or Anri… It's Izaya! What should I do, Shinra?]

"He did something bad again?"

[No… ah, according to Dollars' forum he's pushed from rooftop, but the details are left unclear... The poster apparently some girl Izaya talked into suicide few months back…]

Shinra's eyes widened slightly and his chopsticks fell from his hand. He was apparently as surprised as Celty was. To actually think that Izaya was actually beatable by anyone who's not Shizuo, who possessed not only herculean strength but also parkour skill!

"So… the trick is to lower his guard? Only the weak can beat him? Wait, it's not the time to think about that! Well… I want to say 'let's just ignore him because he clearly deserves it', but last time we did that he called police on us…"

And those words made Celty ran out of the apartment and search the city.

* * *

><p><strong>Excuse the OOC-ness. I'm new in this fandom.<strong>

**No, despite what Erika said, it's not Shizaya fic. This is about Izaya's near-death experience. They say some receive prophecy during NDE, no? Although in the end it probably just some twisted dream.**

**So, it's your choice. **

**You can see this as 'Alice in Wonderland'-ish fic, if you want.**


	2. Chapter 2

_**In which some people remain unchanged while the others have disappeared.**_

* * *

><p>Izaya had expected himself to wake up in either hospital bed or Shinra's sofa, but he was in neither. He was in a strange bedroom. Then again, he didn't actually expect to wake up at all, so he didn't complain. He rubbed the sore spot on the back of his bandaged head, wincing slightly when the pain shock him.<p>

"Ah, you're awake! Thank goodness…"

The informant looked to his right, only to find a woman with turquoise eyes and long red hair wearing white turtleneck. She smiled sweetly at him, and Izaya narrowed his eyes as he found the face to be familiar.

"Is your head still hurts? It didn't seem serious, though. Ah, here, please drink. Really, you must always watch your back in this city. Sometimes gang members just attack you without a reason."

The woman then handed over a glass of water. Izaya muttered a 'thanks' before taking it, crimson eyes still locked on turquoise. When he's done, the woman took the glass from his hand and walked away to get it refilled with water from refrigerator on the corner of the room. Looking at her made Izaya even more curious.

"Who are you?"

It was unusual for Izaya not to know someone. If that someone was an ordinary person like the girl who pushed him from the rooftop, he'd accept it as 'forgotten boring facts', but the woman was far from ordinary. She looked like a foreigner, and Izaya was certain he knew all foreigners living in Ikebukuro, as they were possible target for human trafficking.

Who was she?

Izaya felt as if she's someone important, someone he knew too well. Even so, at the same time, he couldn't name her.

The woman smiled.

"Why, it's your job to find out isn't it, Orihara Izaya-san?"

Expectedly, she knew him.

Of course, many knew him as 'that man who fights with Heiwajima Shizuo a lot'. Even so, not many knew his job as informant. Usually, the ones who knew were only people who dwell in the dark.

"… Seems I'm not doing my job well. You do seem familiar, but apparently I've forgotten."

"Haha, nice one."

It took Izaya ten seconds to realize that her respond was rather weird. But he didn't say anything. He just eyed her curiously.

"Okay then, Mr. Informant. I'll wait until you can find out about me yourself. "

The woman returned and sat next to Izaya. The way she dressed reminded Izaya of Namie, with turtleneck sweater and short skirt, but she's radiating different aura from the usually gloomy scientist.

Rather, she's like the exact opposite.

"Don't you want to call someone? Does your cell phone still work? You can use my phone if you want," she said as she handed him his iPhone from the table next to him. There's a crack on the screen.

Right, his cell phone fell with him from rooftop. It'd be a miracle if it's still usable.

"Please."

"Oh, here you go. But really, your cell phone is so old-fashioned. I don't even know it's still produced. Well, the makers are unable to find new features to be added, so I guess it's not much of a problem, yeah?"

Izaya chose to ignore her words and pressed the buttons of her cell phone. It was a model he didn't know exist. Weird, because Izaya thought that he always keep track of technology. Even so, he didn't even know the brand of said cell phone.

'_Wait a second…'_

He pressed the red button and it returned to the display. What surprised Izaya was not the picture of yet another familiar looking man as background.

It was the time.

'_13 : 46 PM… the time is understandable… the date too… But…'_

'_2021?'_

"What's wrong?"

Last time he checked, he was sure it's still 2011. He stared at the phone, mouth agape.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"…"

"Don't tell me… you just realize you're amnesiac? My, what should I do?"

"Miss, I assure you I'm not amnesiac. I know perfectly well who I am. But one question, why do you put 2021 as current year in your cell phone? Is this a prank? Do you have some sort of grudge with me? Please stop joking."

The woman blinked.

"You… really are amnesiac, aren't you? I'm not lying, you know? Look."

She grabbed a magazine from the table, still covered with plastic. On the right corner was the published date. Izaya didn't care to look at the exact date and month, but true it's written that the year was 2021.

He stood abruptly, grabbed his coat which was folded nicely on top of the table, and after making sure that he still had his knife he stormed out of the apartment, ignoring the woman's calling.

'_No… way…'_

'_There's no freaking way…'_

Even so,the city was different from what he knew. There were more sky-scrappers, stores… Young people clad in strange uniform…

People using gadgets he didn't knew…

No, even the people were all strangers. Izaya got scared at the realization. He was the informant who knew Ikebukuro like the back of his hand! It's weird that he didn't know anyone. Not even the passing foreigner, or gang members. Hell, there was even one guy that was clearly a member of yakuza, and he didn't recognize him.

Though the pounding headache made him think that it's because of his injury, he still found the thought rather scary.

Izaya ran towards Sunshine Street, where most of his acquaintances (he couldn't exactly call them friends and vise versa) could usually be found. He tried to ignore the posters or ads in the giant screens, the year written in the commercials as he ran, and focus on people's faces.

It'd be great if he could find someone he recognized.

Even so, no one was in Sunshine Street.

Well, the street itself was as crowded as ever, but not one person could be recognized by Izaya. No Shizuo, no Simon, yakuza, foreigner, Dollars, Saika's children…

No one at all.

'_This is so wrong…'_

He sighed as he remembered a certain newcomer's first day in Ikebukuro, confusion and awe written all over his face. Izaya wondered if his face resembled him back then.

The pounding headache became a bit overwhelming, and Izaya decided to sit in one of the guard rails and thought it over. He pushed the thought that he's somehow stranded in 2021 to the back of his mind and tried to find more logical explanation. Was he really amnesiac just as the woman said? The last thing he remembered was the face of the young girl who pushed him, and he was sure of the fact that it happened in year 2011 as much as he was sure of the fact that death would be as boring as hell.

And really, it was saying something.

"Goodness… this is so much like one of Erika's silly theories…"

The world, despite some oddities, was not something that was created based on Erika or Walker's fantasies. Izaya could practically imagine them danced around as they sang their weird logic, breathing and steps as synchronized as ever, before finally stretching out their hands to whoever watched them. People around them clapped as if they agreed, but really they just laughed at their idiocy or appreciating their silly stunts.

Even though they did it often enough for Izaya to be able to see them in his mind, their theories could not happen, period. If they could, the world would have already been destroyed by the power of magic, mecha, and Shizuo in mahou shoujou costume.

Don't ask.

"It's awesome, isn't it Miria?"

"That's right, Isaac!"

"We've been away for a long time and yet the city still stays pretty much the same! Very amazing! Very different with New York!"

"This city seems as if it just woke up, yeah?"

"That's right, Miria! This city just woke up. Rather, it woke up just for us!"

"Amazing!"

Izaya jerked his head when he heard clapping, his mouth twitched when his scarlet eyes found the source of the voices. They were not Erika and Yumasaki, Izaya was sure of it, but it could have been. Not far from him, surrounded by laughing people were two weirdoes who were dancing salsa as they spoke to each other.

Two weirdoes, who happened to be part of Dollars, Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent. Izaya still remembered them from Dollars meeting the year before. Well, they were the most memorable anyway, aside from Shizuo.

'_What was I thinking, inviting Shizu-chan anyway?'_

That wasn't important, he thought as he shrugged. The point was, the crazy couple looked the same as how they looked last time Izaya saw them. As silly too, looking at their outfit. Miria was wearing school uniform, while Isaac was wearing leather jacket and jeans, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses.

They're copying how kogal and bousouzoku dress up, apparently.

"Hey, Miria… Don't you think he looks familiar?"

"Someone we know?"

When Izaya realized it, the weird couple had already stood in front of him, rubbing their chins as if he's some sort of hard to understand art piece. Izaya smiled at them, already in 'Nakura-mode'.

"Long time no see, Isaac-san and Miria-san."

The two tilted their heads to the side, confusion written on their faces.

"You know us?"

"You do?"

"Ah, we met that time during Dollars' meeting. Well, it's understandable if you forget. It's a long time ago."

They clapped their hands before pointing their index finger at Izaya. Their synchronization made Izaya think that they're the perfect role model for Mairu and Kururi, though it was not a compliment. The two really, were a person in two bodies.

"Right! It's been a long time! Really, I thought you're a movie star or something! We met there, huh? I thought I saw you in TV though?"

"As extra in Claudia's movie, perhaps?"

'_That movie star? Don't tell me they worship her… Reminds me of those two…'_

In conclusion, Izaya thought of the two as mixture of Erika, Walker and his sisters. Even so, he laughed heartily as he thought that.

"No way. I'm not worthy, haha."

"Don't mind! You're handsome enough. I'm sure you'll appear in TV one day."

Izaya seriously didn't wish to be on TV. It'd do nothing but bad things for him. He's famous enough as it was. More fame would make him like walking billboard.

"By the way, that looks serious, the wound on your head."

"Looks painful!"

They pointed at his bandaged head. Izaya then contemplated on what to say to them. He couldn't just say 'someone pushed me from seventh floor and my parkour skill saved me'. After a second, he decided to go with the usual answer.

"Hm… I got it from Shizu-cha… I mean, Heiwajima Shizuo. I suppose you know him?"

"Heiwajima… Shizuo?"

Isaac pressed on the 'o', making him sounded oddly like Simon. Next to him, Miria followed the movement albeit didn't say the name. They both narrowed their eyebrows as if in confusion.

'_Well, they're American, so if they don't know…'_

"That strong dude who wears bartender outfit? The one who used to be Dollars' member? Didn't he move to Hokkaido few years back?"

"We recalled reading stuffs like that in the forum, right Isaac?"

"Ah, perhaps you just got back from Hokkaido? The nature is still preserved there, yeah? Very beautiful place. Miria, suddenly I want to go to Hokkaido!"

The rest was unheard by Izaya. Their voice somehow became static. Everything Izaya saw became blurry, but it seemed the two were still talking non-stop. After a while, they waved their hands and left him alone

'_Shizuo... huh?'_

His head hurt even more, and the world seemed as if it's getting sucked by some unknown force. He forced his eyes to shut, wincing as the unbearable pounding returned.

'_What a joke… I saw him last week…'_

Meeting the two unchanging Americans had made Izaya sure that what he's experiencing was either a very elaborate prank, or confusion because of his head injury. Even so, he felt confident in his memory, so it's probably the first. Izaya pulled out his wallet from his pocket and looked inside.

The inside was exactly as he remembered it. The cards and everything, even the amount of money. He nodded in satisfaction. He's not amnesiac.

A prank it was. Case closed.

When his headache subsided, the informant decided to leave Ikebukuro and return to his office in Shinjuku. Namie would probably give him hell because leaving her alone with mountains of work to do and lots of appointment to cancel, but for some odd reason he felt like he wouldn't mind even being poisoned by her at that moment.

Even so, Izaya himself admitted that he felt a bit worried.

'_Note to self, scan Dollars' site for more information. It's possible if it's a secret agreement between the members...'_

When he passed what should be Russian Sushi though, Izaya found it hard to maintain his thought that it's just a prank.

He stood in front of the store, wasn't able to say anything.

In the place where the famous sushi shop should be was a bookstore.

"… no… way…"

Even though it was a bookstore, it's probably more appropriate to call it otaku shop. Apparently, it sold all sort of things from manga to figurines. It was rather empty, but it's probably because it's school time.

But, it was not Russian Sushi.

He tried to think of a logical explanation to that, but nothing came up. The posters glued to the windows which promoted some unknown story all had the year 2021 written as the publishing date. Finally looking around at the commercials and ads, he couldn't find any date which was not followed by the number 2021.

Needless to say, it was the time when Izaya finally believed the woman who saved him earlier, and for the first time ever in his life he felt like crying.

* * *

><p>"Yes? Ah, it's you. What's wrong? It's rather quick even by your standard. Eh, not about the job?"<p>

"… You expect me to believe you found someone resembling Orihara Izaya yesterday and he's fainted with head wound, and when he woke up he didn't even deny that he's Orihara Izaya, and he ran out of your apartment because he's too surprised after seeing the date on your cell phone? Seriously?"

"Fine, fine… I'll humor you for a minute. So, just calm down and tell me once more."

"I see… well, it's possible if you put it that way. Amnesiac, huh… He denied it? If it's only partial, there's no way he'd know right?"

"By the way, describe him for me. Uh-huh… Man, obviously… black haired… red-eyes… like in his mid twenties… black shirt and jeans… You bandaged his head… What? He had fur coat as well? I see… certainly match the description. I'm getting curious of this man. Guess I'll look for him myself. Though he's probably just a look-a-like. Rather, it's impossible for him to be the real deal."

"Thank you for the info. Well, you can see it that way, but still I won't charge for this. Fine, I'll tell you as soon as I found him. Why are you so interested in Orihara Izaya, anyway?"

"Well, your taste has always been bad, so I guess it's natural that I don't understand? Haha, don't be mad. Haven't you heard of the words 'So bad it's good'? It's like that. Your taste has always been so bad, it's actually good to look at. I personally hate his guts, but it seems you owe him a debt? He's a bad guy, but still he'll do good things if it fits his goal."

"Oh, by the way, I see Anri-senpai and Mikado-senpai's relationship as 'So okay it's average'. See? Yours is a tiny bit better. Ah ah, don't say anything. Yes, I copied that from some page in TVTropes, but it fits, no? Hm… his skill, huh? Well, he was one hell of informant."

"… Perhaps it's true then. The only one who can find that woman is probably Orihara Izaya, now that it's getting hard to meet Mikado-senpai. Don't worry though, I'll still try my best to help you. Just provide me with information as usual, and you'll be the first to know when that woman appears in my radar. Though I wonder why you of all people would want information for me, the one who gets info from you as my provider."

"Right. She's a genius who knew firsthand how perverted you are, and thus is able to somehow avoid your eyes. Fine, fine, I'll keep looking. Yeah, don't worry. Once again, thank you for the info. See you around."

With a click, the young man cut the connection. He leaned back and spun around in his swivel chair, his eyes locked into the ceiling.

As he closed his eyes, the memories of his past all came back to him.

"Orihara… Izaya… no way…"

* * *

><p><strong>FYI, I won't use OC. Probably. I'll try not to. Except for that girl who pushed Izaya from rooftop. Hmm… she'll appear later again, but not very important…<strong>

**So kudos to those who realize who the girl and man were. Actually, I think I made it obvious?**

**As for Izaya… when I wrote that scene I was kinda influenced by Subarashiki Sekai. Now. Imagine he's like Neku, passing people he knew but already changed. Oh, and really, TVtropers are right. Yumachi and Erika are reality warpers! For all we know this could happen because they told the twins about parallel universe!**

**The old second chapt… I don't delete it. I'll just repositioned it to a better place.**


	3. Chapter 3

"Ah, you're back! Really, I'm so worried! Are you okay?"

The woman really looked worried as she said that.

"Yeah. I'm okay. I was just shocked, that's all. It appears you're right. I'm sorry…"

Of course Izaya lied. He didn't believe that fact at all. He had after all guessed the right amount of money in his wallet. It'd be a hell of coincidence if it just happened to be right. Moreover, his cell phone was as he remembered it.

His face was as he remembered it.

The woman sighed as she let him in.

"That's what I thought… Your head was hit after all! Well, I guess the best way is to report to the police, or go to hospital to get your head checked, but…"

She looked deep into Izaya's red eyes; her face became unreadable for a split second.

"_It's not good. The enemy will find you if you go to the police. Hospitals are not good either. Stay in the apartment for a while. I'll tell you when the right time comes."_

Déjà vu.

Izaya felt as if he had said that before.

Well, he had said those kinds of words to so many people he had lost count, but he specifically remembered saying those words to someone over phone. His mind brought him back to the days when he helped a young man solved a mystery surrounding him.

"Right. Thanks."

_Ah… I know this woman…_

But still he couldn't name her.

"I'm sorry, I have to go now. Uhm, make yourself at home. And I'm not expecting anyone, so… God, I feel like an old lady! Haha, well then, see you later!"

And so, the woman left Izaya just like that. He had his eyes locked on the door for a while, his expression the same as the times when Namie went out early. That being said, he didn't know whether to feel happy or sad about it.

Earlier, for some reason his feet brought him back to the woman's apartment. Even though he had his office and apartment in mind, he didn't go there.

Truth to be told, he's a bit anxious.

He had after all accepted the fact that he's stranded in the future, and so he wondered if he come to his apartment would it still be his?

If he went to his office, would Namie still be there? Would the game board still left unchanged?

Would the head still in the office?

"… She must have taken it… right?"

If it's Namie, she'd take it without hesitation. She's probably now living large with her brother.

But, it's still a guess, and Izaya couldn't stand not knowing. He had to know about stuffs. Curiosity was what drove him to do things after all. He's like mad scientist whose subject was human.

His eyes found the woman's laptop, and after a second of contemplating, he decided to use it. Luckily, it wasn't locked. Soon after, he's logged in the Dollars' website, scanning the forum for any useful news. Mikado hadn't changed the website much, and so he's able to search quite easily.

Nothing was worth knowing.

In the forum, mostly the members only talk about their daily lives. Usually, Izaya would laugh at those posts, but he's in no mood for that. The usual chatroom was empty, but Izaya had a feeling that it was abandoned. Realizing that he couldn't find any news about Celty's head and Namie's whereabouts, Izaya tried to search for mythology.

There had got to be something that could bring him back to the past.

Izaya tried to fight the urge to bang his bandaged head to the wall when he couldn't find anything useful. The only known 'Master of Time' was Chronos, but he's supposedly had been killed by his offspring.

Time simply cannot be turned.

And yet, there he was in the future.

How to return?

He needed to ask someone, of course. But who'd have sufficient information at that age? Someone he knew how to contact, someone he knew would know about things… Someone who's reachable.

Shinra? True. He once said that he's not planning to move from his apartment ever, except if Celty wished it. But the chatroom was empty, and there wasn't a telephone in the apartment. Perhaps the woman thought that her cellphone would suffice?

So, he couldn't call him.

"Who'd… Ah…"

And then, it hit him. There was someone like that.

* * *

><p><em><span>Orihara Izaya, Reborn!<span>_

**Tsukumoya Shinichi** : … Holy Moses…

**Orihara Izaya** : yo

**Tsukumoya Shinichi** : Apparently you somehow managed to use my associate's id, even though he's gone for ten years now. So, introduce yourself please.

**Orihara Izaya** : It's me. Cut the crap.

**Orihara Izaya** : I'm here to ask some things.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi** : Wait, Izaya? Is that really you?

**Orihara Izaya** : Yeah. Can I ask get information for free this time?

**Tsukumoya Shinichi** : Depends. Can you tell me where have you been? Oh, and if you made your friend do plastic surgery on someone to pose as you in your funeral because I have many people swearing that they saw you got cremated.

* * *

><p>Tsukumoya Shinichi, informant extraordinaire.<p>

No one knew who he was, how he looked, where he lived, and basically he's the epitome of mysteriousness. Izaya had made it his goal to find out about him, but so far the progress hadn't been good.

He's a hikkikomori (possibly), but for some odd reason he knew almost everything.

Izaya stared at the screen, unable to write anything for a good minute as what Shinichi wrote dawned to him.

Not three minutes had passed, and already he obtained the most shocking truth of all.

According to Shinichi, in the world of 2021, Orihara Izaya had died. He'd been cremated and his sisters had probably thought of barbeque as they watched his body turned into ashes. Then they probably sprinkled what's left of him to somewhere OTHER than family grave, did it just for laugh. And then, they'd probably bug Shizuo to let them meet the accursed idol of theirs.

But Izaya wasn't mad at that. Really, the thought even managed to make him smile a bit.

Even so…

…

"Damn…"

* * *

><p>Walking down the street, the woman wearing white turtleneck sighed.<p>

She wondered if her trap worked. She had planted a bug on her own laptop which would allow her to see the records of all he did. Of course it's not really necessary, but she figured it's best to have precaution in case the man deleted the log.

And she really needed to know.

"He's really… him, isn't it?"

"…Izaya-san."

'_Hate, Orihara Izaya… must cut… must kill…'_

Inside her heart, a faint sound echoed endlessly. She took a deep breath and breathed out, trying to calm herself down.

"You can't do that. We need him. I know we shouldn't trust him, but we really need him in this."

'_Hate… love… love…'_

"Yes, it's all for our love…"

"As usual, you speak with yourself. Kinda freaky, you know, Senpai."

When she realized it, she had already walked side by side with a man who looked like he's in his early twenties. He was smiling from ear to ear as he played with his cellphone.

"… Aoba-kun."

"That man is now in your apartment, isn't it? How cruel of you not telling me this. Now I have concussion after meeting a certain brute, you know?"

The woman giggled.

"I was just about to call you. Do you want to see him? This child inside me really think it's Orihara Izaya."

"Senpai, you're not pregnant, are you? There's no child inside you. But, yes. I think I'll take that offer. Under the mat, right? Your key."

"It's not locked."

The man called Aoba waved his hand as he walked away, signing that he heard her. As the woman watched him walk away, she tried to imagine how Izaya would react.

Kuronuma Aoba, Dollars' informant. That being said, his main job was to collect information for Dollars members, even though on the cover he's an employee of a private company. His information usually used by gang members though. He's often found in Ikebukuro, watching over the members he 'helped'. Even though he looked so young, actually he's already in his mid-twenties. Of course, some would say that he's still young nevertheless.

The woman had heard in the past that Aoba resembled Izaya, and she agreed with whoever said that. The resemblance was uncanny.

'_Cut… cut… hate…'_

Her child hated him all the same.

"Calm down… he's here to help. Rather, I'll use him to help us. So calm down…"

'_Love… love… love…'_

"Yes… Just say the words of love… Don't worry. When it's done, you can cut whoever you want… Yes, just as soon as we're reunited with our love… "

"I promise you, Saika…"

* * *

><p>Kuronuma Aoba walked with steps so light, he could be skipping. He hummed a random song as he walked, his hands on the pocket of his jacket. Looking at his seemingly happy face, one could be excused for not able to guess his age.<p>

He looked back after few steps, his smile turned into a grin when he found the woman he just talked to turned in a corner.

"Well, he's not in that direction… Still, good luck, Senpai."

No one could hear him, but then again he wasn't saying that to be heard.

He knew what the woman's going to do. She had told him what she wished, after all. Even so, Aoba admitted that he couldn't help her. He knew for a fact that the person she's looking for was not in Ikebukuro, and she had heard that too, but still she kept looking anyway.

Whatever…

Aoba turned around and started walking again. Not five minutes passed and he's arrived in his employee's apartment. Although she said it wasn't locked, he shrugged and knocked anyway.

No one answered.

He tried again, and again, and after the third time he decided to enter despite the lack of answer.

What he opened the door, he found a man standing by the door, his hand was holding the handle. Aoba blinked in surprise before looked up to see his face. That man was a bit taller than him, but the difference was not much.

'_Bandaged head… red eyes.'_

The man smirked at him. Even so, Aoba could imagine seeing his vein popped.

"So noisy. Sorry, but the owner didn't say anything about guest, and I'm busy. So then, bye bee."

He couldn't react fast enough. The man slammed the door shut and a faint click could be heard. Then he realized what had happened. He flipped the mat under his feet, and there wasn't any key.

That man had somehow found it, the key to the apartment. How he knew, Aoba had no idea. Although people normally hid their spare keys under mat or pot, most wouldn't have spare at all. Rather, guests shouldn't look for the host's spare keys!

He knocked the door once more, this time with more force than before.

The man opened the door once more, but before Aoba could say anything he stepped out from the apartment and pointed his blade at Aoba.

Needless to say, Aoba was freaked out.

"I told you I am busy. Now scram."

Aoba swallowed the lump that had formed on his throat, and braced himself for just about everything as he opened his mouth and called out the man's name.

"… Izaya… san?"

* * *

><p><strong>I suppose everyone know Shinichi, yes? This chapt has absolutely nothing except clues as to what's going on in that world. Well, just a tiny bit anyway.<strong>

**And Izaya meet Aoba…**

**And he called someone… brute? Now where have I heard that before?**

**And there's Saika?**

**Haha, well I just write what I imagine anyway…**

**Speaking of imagine, I still feel uncomfortable with the synopsis... Hm... **


	4. Chapter 4

Ikebukuro was not like it was ten years ago, and yet it was the same.

It's been common knowledge that the city was filled with monsters, and in 2011, people realized that those monsters were connected to each other.

The disappearance of one monster led to the disappearance of another, until in the end, the original monsters residing Ikebukuro were no more.

Orihara Izaya's death was what kick start it all.

Soon after, the Headless Rider was no more, as if he was swallowed by the dark material he was most associated with.

For some reason, not long after, Heiwajima Shizuo moved town, retreating to countryside, probably for good.

In the end, even Simon went away, following the owner of Russian Sushi to spread the joy of said cuisine someplace else. Rumor has it they went to Africa, but no one was sure.

In 2021, the replacements for those monsters had appeared, and people wonder once more if like monsters of the past, they were also connected to each other.

They seem alike enough, the monsters of the past and of the present.

As he sighed in an alleyway, one person wondered about said belief of Ikebukuro.

"Man, you're too quick to get violent…"

His senior had said earlier at lunch, chiding him as usual.

It couldn't be helped.

He just couldn't help it.

The sight of Kuronuma Aoba made his blood boil. He couldn't help but to grab the closest thing to his hand and threw it at the younger man.

Said thing was a trashcan.

It was as if history repeated itself.

One day so long ago, he remembered seeing Orihara Izaya got hit by a trashcan thrown by Heiwajima Shizuo, only to walk away unharmed.

When he threw the trashcan at Aoba earlier, the same thing happened. The informant just stood up, laughed a bit, and ran away.

The memory made the man wondered.

The monsters of the past were all connected to each other.

He looked up to the sunny sky and remembered that people consider him a monster now.

He couldn't understand why, but some people had told him that he was similar to the man with herculean strength.

With Heiwajima Shizuo.

They started to say that he resembled him not long after his friends graduated from highschool.

The man wondered why.

While he supposed his hatred towards Kuronuma Aoba made him react the same way as how Shizuo would react when he sees Izaya nowadays, he didn't think back then he was already that violent. As for the looks goes, he didn't remember ever going out in bartender outfit, and his hair had long since turned back to its original brown color then. Besides, he was not at all strong, at least if compared to Shizuo.

His friends and seniors all said otherwise though, so he wondered if the phrase 'you don't know your own strength' apply to him.

With another sigh, he shook his head and decided it's time to get back to work.

He'd been cooling his head long enough.

But before that…

He took out his cellphone and typed.

* * *

><p>(Bakyura has entered the chatroom)<p>

**Bakyura** : Good afternoon!

**Bakyura** : I know that it's been so long since I meet anyone here, so I'm not surprised to find it empty lol

**Bakyura** : It's just that I've been thinking, and somehow it makes me miss the old days.

**Bakyura** : So, here I am!

**Bakyura** : I saw someone got hit with a thrown trashcan earlier, so maybe that's it

**Bakyura** : Reminds me of Heiwajima Shizuo, you know? And Tanaka Taro-san and Saika-san lol

**Bakyura** : Maybe I'll go see them later

**Bakyura** : Also Pure Water 100% and Mai-san and Kyo-san, although I can't see them since I don't know them, although I wonder why?

**Bakyura** : And Kanra-san too

**Bakyura** : But it doesn't mean I don't miss the others too like Setton-san or Saki-san

**Bakyura** : Ah I miss everyone

**Bakyura** : Ah, but that person who threw the trashcan isn't Shizuo though. I haven't seen him since he moved to Hokkaido few years back.

**Kanra** : Welcome back!

**Bakyura** : Holy shit there's someone here

**Bakyura** : Thank the gods I haven't been saying embarrassing things like I did to Mai-san and Kyo-san lol

**Kanra** : Or should I say I'm back?

**Bakyura** : Wait

**Bakyura** : Oh crap it's Kanra

**Kanra** : Hey, how rude! You shouldn't use that colorful language here, Bakyura-san! What if there're children?

**Bakyura** : Good God Lord it's Kanra!

**Kanra** : Kanra, present~!

* * *

><p>Aoba couldn't believe it.<p>

After what felt like an eternity, the man lowered his blade and told him to get in. Inside, Aoba saw him settling down in the sofa, scowling as his fingers danced on the keyboard, his red eyes seemed like glinting in the shadow.

"Tell me, do you believe in ghosts?"

He said conversely after what felt like an eternity.

"… there's the Headless Rider."

The man laughed at Aoba response.

"True. How about time travel?"

"I'm not aware we're in a movie."

"What, supernatural is possible but not time travel?"

"I'm not aware the human technology has reached that far."

"Hm… I wouldn't know about that, so I'll take your word for it. How about supernatural power enabling time travel? What would you say?"

"… sorry. Mythology isn't really my thing."

"That's too bad."

The sound of buttons being pressed in high speed echoed in the apartment.

* * *

><p><strong>Tsukumoya Shinichi<strong> : What's up? What's with the long pause?

**Orihara Izaya** : Don't mind me. Just got a visitor. And I'm chatting with someone else on the side

**Tsukumoya Shinichi** : Oh, okay then. So Kuronuma's there already.

* * *

><p>Izaya glanced at the seemingly younger man behind him and wondered.<p>

Just like the owner of the apartment, the man seemed familiar.

Image of a young boy who seemed fresh out of grade school appeared in his mind, and he smirked because the man and the boy seemed alike enough for Izaya believe that they're one and the same.

He replied 'he is' to Tsukumoya, and the realization that the informant he was chatting with knew with certainty that Kuronuma Aoba was coming to him made him smile wider.

He's so going to find out everything about Tsukumoya. As soon as he could go back to the past.

* * *

><p><strong>Just me looking forward to season two.<strong>

**And reminiscing.**

**And somehow this happen.**

**Not much happen since last time, but at least now you know who gave Aoba his concussion.**


End file.
